The Second Synod of Lingayen Dagupan decreed that Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion shall be lay persons between 25 to 60 years old who have received all the sacraments of Christian initiation. (Title IV Chapter 1, Article 46.2).

This decree effectively opened this lay ministry to women. Some parishes have installed women Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion last Pentecost Sunday.

For the sake of pastoral order and liturgical decorum, the women EMHC must observe the following norms with regard to attire:

1. The standard attire for women EMHC when assisting at Mass is long sleeved white blouse and below the knee black skirt. The long sleeved blouse is matches the long sleeved barong Tagalog of the men EMHC.

Saint Paul admonished women in these words I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. (1 Tim 2:9-10)

3. It is forbidden for women EMHC to wear pants or slacks when assisting at Mass. For the sake of stability when walking, the women EMHC are kindly advised to avoid wearing high-heeled shoes to avoid tripping while doing their ministry.

4. The practice of monthly confession, frequent Communion and family rosary is the best attire that our women EMHC must always strive to wear.

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. (1Peter 3:2-5)

I commend all our women Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.